What my musings are all about...

Blogging might well be the 21st century's form of journaling. As a writing teacher, I have always advised my students to keep a daily journal as a way of organizing their thoughts for future writing projects, a discipline I have unfortunately never consistently practiced myself. By blogging, I might finally be able to follow my own good advice.

The difference between journaling and blogging is that the blogger opens his or her writing to the public, something journal- writers are usually reluctant to do. I am not so reticent.

The trick for me will be to avoid cluttering the internet with more blather, something none of us need more of. If I stick to subjects I know: sports and literature, I believe I can avoid that pitfall. I can't promise that I'll not stray from time to time to comment on ancillary subjects, but I will make every attempt to be interesting and perhaps even insightful.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

The Playoffs and other topics

First of all, let's be clear, if Luke Walton leaves the Warriors to come to the Kings, he should find a good psychiatrist. With this caveat: If the Kings seriously shop DeMarcus Cousins, perhaps, Luke should talk to Vlade, but only under that condition.

It is my strong belief and I've said it before, the Sacramento Kings will never win with Cousin. Whether another team can convince the big baby he can grow up and be a true pro, well, maybe, and that possibility and the kid's talent should make him marketable. A couple of strong players and a first round draft choice? In today's game, do you really need a low block center.. Oh, you say, but Cousin's can shoot from the outside. Check out his % from the perimeter. Anyway, he doesn't run, he lumbers. The center of the future is Karl-Anthony Townes and centers like him. Besides, the Kings have a mobile post in Willy Cauly-Stein (with a little lefty, righty jump-hook). And Koufas will always be a valuable backup. I'm starting to wander, so I'll drop the Kings and head in another direction.

Watch out for the Miami Heat to upset teams on their way to a final in the Eastern Conference. They've got lots of talent and they're healthy. Wouldn't it be delovely if Wade and the Heat beat the Cavs? King James might have to give up his crown, which, by the way, belongs to the Golden State Warriors, so he'd have to lower himself to the level of a prince. I'm slowly becoming less and less of a James' fan. As you can tell.

My Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets without Steph Curry. Let's assume that nobody was surprised. I do want to point out one thing: as the game progressed and the Warriors played well, the player most often off the bench cheering on his teammates was Stephan Curry. I hesitate to bring this up as there's already so much about Curry's "goodness," that people might begin to start questioning his sincerity. It's human nature and our society as a whole is a cynical one. But, I swear I detect no lack of sincerity, no lack of "teamsmanship," no lack of commitment, and honest fire. Sports fans, we are witnessing something special in Stephan Curry. Baring injury, Curry will reside in the Pantheon of basketball Stars.

Recently I was asked who does Curry remind me of in terms of talent and charisma. I was tempted to say Magic Johnson. But I decided finally that he reminded me of Luke Walton's father, Bill. Whoa! You gotta be kidding me? No I'm not. For one and a half seasons, there was no better basketball player in the history of the game, no one who combined the skill, the smarts, the enthusiasm, the subtlety, the instincts, the spirit and magic. He did something even Steph is not doing. With apologies to Maurice Lucas and Lionel Hollins, he took a team with some very average players and turned them into NBA Champions. Steph's cast is far more talented than the Trailblazers' group. So was Magic's, Chamberlain's, Russell's, Jordans'. It's the "specialness" I'm talking about.

If Thibodeau takes the Timberwolves job, watch out NBA. Once this team learns to play defense, watch out.

New York needs to get rid of Carmelo. He simply doesn't understand team concept. He will always make the Carmelo decision instead of the team decision. Like Cousins, NY will never win with Melo.

I was surprised to find this strange little poem about tennis by Gwendolyn Brooks. I think it says a lot about all aging athletes.

Old Tennis Player. by Gwendolyn BrooksRefusedTo refuse the racket, to mutter No to the net.He leans to life, conspirs to give and getOther serving yet.

Thomas Meschery, a son of Russian immigrants, he became the first international player to play in an NBA All-Star Game in 1963.

An All-American success story. Born in China in 1938, he came to the U.S. with his parents after WW II. An All-American at Lowell High School, San Francisco, and St. Mary's College, Moraga, California. He was the youngest player to named a first team AAU All-American. NBA Star for ten seasons. Noted as one of the toughest players in the NBA. His jersey number has been retired by both St. Mary's and Golden State Warriors. Inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

Tom has published two books of poetry, 'Over the Rim' and 'Nothing You Lose Can Be Replaced' and a fourth-coming book of verse, 'Some Men'. He was inducted into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame in 2000.